“ I always think, ‘What would Clara Barton think of all this?’ I think she would be so proud of the fact that we’re true to the mission, but she would be amazed that people are staying out of harm’s way because they have apps on their phone that are telling them when a hurricane or a tornado or wildfire is coming their way.

“ I put on a Red Cross shirt and wanted to just experience what our volunteers experience. And I got on a feeding truck and I joined two wonderful volunteers on that truck. And it was the moment that I became awestruck by our volunteers. That feeling has never left me.”

2008June 23Gail McGovern’s first day at the American Red Cross.

JulyGail McGovern travels to China two months

after Sichuan earthquake hits. This is her first disaster response, just weeks into the job.

SeptemberGail McGovern experiences what it is like to be a Red Cross volunteer when she travels to Texas after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike on her first domestic disaster.

2009September

Red Cross launches relief efforts to support American

Samoa tsunami survivors. OctoberRed Cross works with U.S. health and government officials to contain H1N1 flu global outbreak.

2010January7.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti. Gail McGovern deploys to Haiti to visit earthquake-affected communities.

MayTennessee experiences extensive

“1,000-year” floods.

JuneGail McGovern’s leadership helps Red Cross eliminate $209 million annual operating deficit she inherited and close Fiscal Year 2010 with a break-even budget.

2011January

Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces division launches resiliency programs to help military

families cope with the challenges of military life.

March9.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Japan, triggering a tsunami that wreaks devastation. The Red Cross becomes one of the largest private, international contributors to the response.

AugustHurricane Irene is the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Ike in 2008, and causes damage and flooding up the east coast.

2012JanuaryRed Cross unveils its new brand identity and logo designed to appeal to Red Cross supporters, volunteers and donors.

MarchRed Cross and Dell launch a new Digital

Operations Center, the first social media-based operation dedicated to humanitarian relief.

JuneRed Cross launches suite of safety apps to provide lifesaving information right at people’s fingertips.

AugustHurricane Isaac makes landfall

in Louisiana. OctoberSuperstorm Sandy devastates the Northeast. Gail McGovern travels to impacted areas in New York and New Jersey.

DecemberMore than 1 million cards collected for

Holiday Mail for Heroes to send to U.S. troops.

2013April

Red Cross supports first responders and community after

tragic Boston Marathon bombing.MayA series of deadly tornadoes hit Oklahoma.

JuneRed Cross reaches 1 million

Twitter followers.NovemberTyphoon Haiyan hits the Philippines. American Red Cross commits more than $85 million and deploys disaster specialists to support the relief and recovery operation.

2014

MarchDevastating Ebola outbreak hits West Africa. Red Cross Red Crescent teams risk their lives to deliver medical care and lifesaving aid to affected communities.

March Red Cross responds to a deadly landslide in Oso, Washington.

MayTo mark a century of swimming safety education, the Red Cross launches the Aquatics Centennial Campaign to reduce drowning rates in 50 cities and towns in which the rate is above the norm.

SeptemberRed Cross releases its free Blood

Donor App, putting the power to save lives in the palm of your hand.

OctoberRed Cross Home Fire Campaign launches with a goal to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries in the U.S. by 25%.

NovemberMissing Maps is launched to put

at-risk communities on digital maps and improve delivery of aid.

2015April/May7.8 magnitude earthquake and powerful aftershocks strike Nepal. Gail McGovern visits earthquake-affected communities in Nepal.

SeptemberHistoric wildfires in California,

and “1,000-year” flooding occurs in South Carolina.

OctoberAmerican Red Cross launches RapidPass, a new online health history technology to help streamline the blood donation experience.

DecemberRed Cross develops robust, world-class compliance system and strengthens its quality culture to release organization from U.S. Food and Drug Administration Consent Decree it had been placed under prior to Gail McGovern’s tenure.

2016June

Red Cross responds to tragic mass shooting in Orlando, supporting emergency

responders and the affected community.AugustAfter an unexpected influx of rain, several communities in Louisiana flood, launching the largest Red Cross disaster relief operation since Superstorm Sandy.

SeptemberRed Cross launches the Hero Care App to provide vital information to military members and their families, right at their fingertips.

OctoberHurricane Matthew lands on the east

coast, affecting communities from Florida up through North Carolina.

2017JulyThe Red Cross and partners reach five-year milestone of providing 50,000 sets of swim lessons, four years into the Aquatics Centennial Campaign.

August/SeptemberThree category four hurricanes, Harvey, Irma

and Maria, make landfall in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico respectively in less than one month. September

Red Cross provides electronic payments of $400 to more than half a million households affected by Hurricane Harvey—faster than in any previous disaster.

SeptemberMexico experiences two massive earthquakes separated by less than two weeks. The Red Cross mobilizes to support earthquake relief efforts.

OctoberRed Cross responds to tragic mass shooting

in Las Vegas, supporting emergency responders and the affected community.

OctoberRed Cross and partners install

the one millionth free smoke alarm through the Home Fire Campaign.

DecemberRed Cross RapidPass goes Mobile.

2018April

Red Cross inaugural Sound the Alarm event kicks off with a goal to install 100,000

smoke alarms in 100 cities in just 16 days to continue to save lives.

JuneGail McGovern celebrates a decade of service at the Red Cross.

AugustRed Cross hosts the first Emergency Social

Media Data Summit to discuss the use of social media in times of disaster.

June Red Cross launches LEAD program training for future leaders based on best practices from the for-profit world.

DecemberRed Cross responds to support the community after the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut.

January Red Cross sets record for the largest amount ever raised in a text donation program after

the Haiti earthquake.

MayRed Cross launches “100 Days of

Summer; 100 Days of Hope” campaign to inspire blood donors to give in the summer.

MayA massive and deadly tornado strikes Joplin, MO, causing catastrophic damage.

August The Measles and Rubella Initiative—of

which Red Cross is a founding member—vaccinates its one billionth child.

AugustDuring the Louisiana Floods response, the Red Cross successfully uses RC View—a

state-of-the art digital disaster information system that increases speed and reduces costs.

OctoberRed Cross continues a busy disaster season by responding to the deadliest wildfires in California’s history.

AprilMissing Maps hits milestone of putting 30 million buildings on the map.

MarchRed Cross trains 12,000 people in first aid

and CPR on Save-a-Life Saturday to honor U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

May The Red Cross celebrates its 130th birthday.

A Decade of Service A look back on American Red Cross’ key milestones and accomplishments over the past 10 years under the leadership of President and CEO Gail McGovern.

“If I could summarize where I’d like to see our future in just one word, I would use the word ‘more.’ Our mission is incredible and it hasn’t really changed very much in 137 years. I just want to

touch more people with our incredible mission.”

Gail McGovern

“ When I first started at the Red Cross, I hoped I could use my business experience to help a venerable institution that was facing a series of challenges. It wasn’t until I experienced my very first disaster that I truly understood the mission. And when I saw what the Red Cross was doing to alleviate the pain and suffering of people on the ground who lost their children, who lost their friends, their family, I fell in love with the American Red Cross.”

“ What I saw in Haiti was indescribable. The deceased were on the streets. Kids had injuries, missing limbs, etc. It was awful.”

“ Viola Lynch was 92 years old when Hurricane Sandy struck. She lived with her 65-year-old daughter. And all they had was the clothes on their back. Her daughter was getting a little weepy because she was thinking of the mementos that she lost. This 92-year-old woman kept patting her knee and saying, ‘But you have me. That’s all just stuff.’ The bravery, the resiliency—it’s really amazing how people who lost everything can inspire you.”

“ My stepson, a career member of the Air Force, showed me holiday cards that we had collected at the Red Cross and we sent to people who were deployed overseas. He spent two Christmases in Iraq and he said those cards got him through.”

“ One of the things that touches me the most about our mission is the work that we do for the men and women that serve in the armed forces, veterans and their families. It started when Clara Barton was tending to the wounded during the Civil War, and it’s something that we have continued for 137 years.”

“ My own husband had lymphoma and he needed so many platelet transfusions. Those blood donors saved my husband’s life.”

JanuaryService to the Armed Forces’ growth

initiative is implemented with a goal to serve 1 million veterans and military

families, year-over-year, with Emergency and Critical Community Services by 2020.

“ The massive destruction caused by the earthquake was heartbreaking to witness. Yet even in the midst of such terrible tragedy, the Nepalese people I met with were among the most gentle and kind-hearted I’ve ever encountered.”